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What We Look For in the Best Credit Card Processors for Shopify1. Leaders Merchant Services: Best Overall Payment Processor for Shopify2. Stax: Straightforward Monthly Subscription Model3. ProMerchant: Best for Retail and Restaurants on Shopify4. Flagship Merchant Services: Fastest Payouts to Shopify Merchants5. CreditCardProcessing.com: Best for High-Volume Shopify Stores6. PAYARC: Flexible Plans for Small and Large Shopify StoresOther Notable Credit Card Processors for ShopifyThe Best Payment Processors for Shopify Will Save You MoneyFAQ
Short on Time? These Are the Best Payment Processors for Shopify in 2024
- Leader Merchant Services – Negotiable rates with a meet-or-beat guarantee for Shopify store owners.
- Stax – Straightforward subscription-style model for busy Shopify stores.
- ProMerchant – Cost-saving plan for retail businesses and restaurants on Shopify.
What We Look For in the Best Credit Card Processors for Shopify
In my search for the best credit card processors for Shopify store owners, I prioritized features and benefits that would offer the most value and efficiency for your online business.- Low transaction fees. Unlike Shopify Payments, most of the services I listed ensure you keep more of your earnings with low transaction and monthly fees. In addition to low fees, some of our card processors also offer free equipment when you open a merchant account, which can save you money if you also sell in person.
- Fraud prevention and security. Every processor I chose provides effective security measures to protect you and your customers from fraud and data breaches. Also, some of the services I’ve listed have solid policies for reducing or preventing future chargebacks, which are common with Shopify stores.
- Support for multiple payment methods. It’s essential to accommodate your customers’ payment preferences. Every service I’ve selected supports a variety of payment methods, including digital wallets and ACH.
- Advanced e-commerce tools. Some of the processors on my list provide advanced marketing and accounting integrations to boost revenue and streamline your operations, as well as detailed transaction reports and analytics to help you make informed business decisions.
- Reliable customer support. Unlike Shopify Payments, most of the processors on my list offer dependable customer support, ensuring that you have assistance whenever you need it.
Free Card Reader
Our Score
Our Score
Best Credit Card Processor in 2024
Negotiable Low Credit Card Processing Rates
Monthly Fee:
$9
Transaction Fee:
From 0.15% + $0
Pricing Model:
Multiple options
Multiple options
This payment processor allows you to choose from two or more different pricing models for paying credit card processing fees. Each model will come with its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to consider your options carefully before deciding which is right for your business.
Features and Benefits
- POS equipment for your store. Unlike Shopify – which doesn’t offer any free equipment – LMS will give you free POS equipment when you sign up for a long-term contract. Also, as a certified Clover reseller, you can buy any of Clover’s advanced POS devices from LMS.
- Meet-or-beat offer. If you’re currently processing payments elsewhere, LMS guarantees to meet or beat the pricing of your current credit card processor. You’ll have to give LMS a copy of your two most current processing statements, and if the company can’t beat or at least meet the price, it’ll give you a $200 gift card.
- LMS funding. If you’re looking to grow your Shopify business or you’re just starting out, LMS offers cash advances. The best part is that you don’t have to put up any collateral because you can repay it through a small commission on future sales.
- 98% approval rate. If you’ve struggled to find a payment processor due to low or no credit, give LMS a try. With one of the highest approval rates in the industry, there’s a good chance LMS will work with you.
Security features | PCI compliant, advanced fraud detection and prevention, end-to-end encryption, tokenization |
Payment methods accepted | Credit and debit cards, digital wallets, ACH, bank transfers |
24/7 support | ✔ |
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | ~2.9% + 30¢ |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $9.00 |
2. Stax: Straightforward Monthly Subscription Model
Our Score
Our Score
Save Up to 40% on Credit Card Processing Fees
Monthly Fee:
From $99
Transaction Fee:
From 8¢
Pricing Model:
Subscription
Subscription
With subscription-style pricing, you’ll pay a fixed monthly fee instead of a percentage-based markup on each credit and debit card transaction. While this will considerably reduce your per-transaction fees, you’ll typically still pay a small flat fee on each transaction. This amount is unaffected by the variable interchange fees charged by the different card networks (e.g. Visa, Mastercard), helping to keep your payment processing fees more predictable.
Features and Benefits
- Free POS terminal of your choice. Depending on your business needs, you get a free Dejavoo, SwipeSimple, or PAX payment terminal.
- Billing and invoicing. From your Stax dashboard, you’ll be able to schedule recurring billing and send your customers customized invoices and payment links by email or text.
- QuickBooks integration. Unlike Shopify Payments, which doesn’t integrate directly with QuickBooks, Stax offers bi-directional syncing so your data will seamlessly transfer between Stax and QuickBooks, saving time on admin tasks and minimizing errors.
- Zapier integration. Stax integrates seamlessly with Zapier which allows you to set up custom integrations. In addition to Shopify, you’ll also be able to connect to Slack, Mailchimp, HubSpot, Zoho Books, JotForm, and more.
Security features | Level 1 PCI-compliant, multi-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption, tokenization, advanced fraud detection and prevention, payer verification |
Payment methods accepted | Credit and debit cards, selected digital wallets, ACH, bank transfers |
24/7 support | ✘ |
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | 15¢ + interchange (online) |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $99.00 |
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3. ProMerchant: Best for Retail and Restaurants on Shopify
Our Score
Our Score
Interchange-Plus & Zero Cost Processing Plans Ideal for Restaurants and Retail
Monthly Fee:
$7.95
Transaction Fee:
From 3% + 10¢
Pricing Model:
Multiple options
Multiple options
This payment processor allows you to choose from two or more different pricing models for paying credit card processing fees. Each model will come with its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to consider your options carefully before deciding which is right for your business.
Features and Benefits
- AI-powered product recommendations. ProMerchant uses AI to analyze browsing patterns, user behavior, and purchase history of each person that visits your Shopify store. It then uses this analysis to recommend personalized products to each visitor.
- One-page checkout. You can streamline your customers’ checkout process with ProMerchant’s one-page checkout. Your customer only needs to enter their billing, shipping, and payment information on one page.
- Automatic billing. Through ProMerchant’s integration with Authorize.net, you’ll be able to access advanced recurring and subscription billing. This allows you to bill customers on their preferred schedule (monthly, weekly, or custom) while ensuring you’ll never miss a payment.
- High-risk merchant accounts. Your Shopify store might be high-risk if, for instance, you sell certain types of products or process high-risk transactions. Fortunately, ProMerchant’s high risk accounts come with all the same features and services as low-risk accounts, including fraud protection, integration with Authorize.net, and more.
Security features | PCI compliant, end-to-end encryption, advanced fraud detection and prevention, tokenization, payer verification |
Payment methods accepted | Credit and debit cards, ACH, digital wallets, bank transfers |
24/7 support | ✔ |
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | 3% + 10¢ (credit) |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $7.95 |
4. Flagship Merchant Services: Fastest Payouts to Shopify Merchants
Our Score
Our Score
Fast Onboarding & Quick Payouts With Same-Day Funding
Monthly Fee:
From $15
Transaction Fee:
From 1.58% + 19¢
Pricing Model:
Multiple options
Multiple options
This payment processor allows you to choose from two or more different pricing models for paying credit card processing fees. Each model will come with its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to consider your options carefully before deciding which is right for your business.
Features and Benefits
- iAccess business management portal. This free software provides essential analytics for your Shopify store, helping you track sales volume, chargebacks, and analyze competitors. Understanding these metrics is important for making informed business decisions.
- Digital loyalty program. With Flagship, you can reward loyal customers, which is a good way to stand out in a competitive market. It also encourages repeat purchases and helps you build a dedicated customer base for your Shopify store.
- Secure e-commerce transactions. Flagship’s payment gateway, Authorize.net, ensures safe and convenient online transactions with features like AVS and CVV2. Also, as a Flagship merchant, you’ll get access to Authorize.net at a discount price of $7.95.
- Free credit card terminal. You get a free credit card terminal when you sign a long-term contract with Flagship. While it’s technically not “free” (you’ll have to return it when your contract ends), it does provide a cost-effective solution for in-person Shopify retailers.
Security features | PCI compliant, tokenization, end-to-end encryption, advanced fraud detection and prevention, payer verification |
Payment methods accepted | Credit and debit cards, ACH, bank transfers, digital wallets |
24/7 support | ✔ |
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | 1.98% + 0.21¢ (online) |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $7.95 |
5. CreditCardProcessing.com: Best for High-Volume Shopify Stores
Our Score
Our Score
Competitive Credit Card Processing Fees for High-Volume Businesses
Monthly Fee:
From $15
Transaction Fee:
From 0% + 0.05¢
Pricing Model:
Multiple options
Multiple options
This payment processor allows you to choose from two or more different pricing models for paying credit card processing fees. Each model will come with its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to consider your options carefully before deciding which is right for your business.
Features and Benefits
- Free POS terminals. You’ll get a free portable Pax A920 POS terminal when you commit to a yearly contract. CCP.com also offers a free Clover terminal on its Premier plan and above.
- Advanced security features. CCP.com provides the ability to enforce IP bans for specific countries and set daily and hourly transaction limits. It automatically verifies customer data and checks for any discrepancies before processing a purchase.
- Data breach protection. Every CCP.com plan includes up to $100,000 in insurance for financial losses resulting from a data breach.
- High approval rates. CCP.com offers one of the highest approval rates in the US. Unlike most credit card processors that charge you extra fees if you have a low credit score, CCP.com gives you access to the same features as other merchants for the same price.
Security features | Level 1 PCI compliant, end-to-end-encryption, data breach insurance, tokenization, advanced fraud detection and prevention, payer verification |
Payment methods accepted | Credit and debit cards, digital wallets, ACH, bank transfers |
24/7 support | ✔ |
Transaction fees on cheapest plan | 0% + 0.05¢ (High volume) |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $15.00 |
6. PAYARC: Flexible Plans for Small and Large Shopify Stores
Our Score
Our Score
Custom Payment Processing Plans With No Hidden Costs
Monthly Fee:
From $69
Transaction Fee:
From 0% + 15¢
Pricing Model:
Multiple options
Multiple options
This payment processor allows you to choose from two or more different pricing models for paying credit card processing fees. Each model will come with its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to consider your options carefully before deciding which is right for your business.
Features and Benefits
- Smart POS terminals and systems. PAYARC uses PAX POS terminals that run on Android technology and come with features like a magstripe reader, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, a camera, built-in GPS, and more.
- Quick access to funds. PAYARC offers a standard payout time of 24-48 hours but also provides a same-day payout option for an additional fee. Quick payout times are vital for maintaining cash flow and PAYARC ensures your business has enough money to run smoothly and meet customer demands quickly.
- Low-cost processing for nonprofits. PAYARC offers special reduced processing rates for nonprofits. Coupled with Shopify’s NPO plans, this could mean significant savings for your cause.
- POS equipment integration. If you prefer not to use its hardware, PAYARC can try to integrate your existing POS equipment with its platform, which can help you save costs. However, this doesn’t work for all POS brands.
Security features | PCI compliant, end-to-end encryption, tokenization, fraud monitoring and prevention |
Payment methods accepted | Credit cards, debit cards, ACH, digital wallets (Apple Pay and Google Pay only) |
24/7 support | ✔ |
Transaction fees on the cheapest plan | 0% + 15¢ (in-person & online) |
Monthly fee on cheapest plan | $69.00 |
Other Notable Credit Card Processors for Shopify
7. Pay.com
Our Score
Our Score
Optimized Payment Processing Solutions for Small E-Commerce Businesses
Monthly Fee:
None
Transaction Fee:
2.9% + 29¢
Pricing Model:
Flat rate
Flat rate
Flat rate pricing simplifies your payment processing bill by charging the same percentage markup on every credit or debit card transaction you receive. The payment processor still pays the variable interchange fee set by the card network (e.g. Visa, Mastercard) on each transaction, but you always pay the same fixed rate regardless.
8. Square
Our Score
Our Score
Advanced E-Commerce and Security Solutions for Start-Ups
Monthly Fee:
From $0
Transaction Fee:
From 2.5% + 10¢
Pricing Model:
Flat rate
Flat rate
Flat rate pricing simplifies your payment processing bill by charging the same percentage markup on every credit or debit card transaction you receive. The payment processor still pays the variable interchange fee set by the card network (e.g. Visa, Mastercard) on each transaction, but you always pay the same fixed rate regardless.
9. Chase Payment Solutions
Our Score
Our Score
Favorable Flat Rate Pricing & E-Commerce Features for SMEs
Monthly Fee:
$0
Transaction Fee:
From 2.6% + 10¢
Pricing Model:
Flat rate
Flat rate
Flat rate pricing simplifies your payment processing bill by charging the same percentage markup on every credit or debit card transaction you receive. The payment processor still pays the variable interchange fee set by the card network (e.g. Visa, Mastercard) on each transaction, but you always pay the same fixed rate regardless.
10. POS Pros
Our Score
Our Score
Specialized Point-of-Sale Solutions for In-Person and Online Sales
Monthly Fee:
From $5
Transaction Fee:
From 0.30% + 10¢
Pricing Model:
Multiple options
Multiple options
This payment processor allows you to choose from two or more different pricing models for paying credit card processing fees. Each model will come with its own advantages and disadvantages, so make sure to consider your options carefully before deciding which is right for your business.
The Best Payment Processors for Shopify Will Save You Money
Selecting the right credit card processor for your Shopify store can be overwhelming, with so many options offering similar features. It’s crucial to find one that aligns with your specific business needs. If you’re looking for a credit card processor that simplifies payments for returning customers, enhances your checkout process, and offers negotiable rates, I recommend Leaders Merchant Services (LMS). It integrates with Authorize.net for easy repeat payments and encourages you to negotiate your rates. Meanwhile, if you run a retail business or restaurant on Shopify, you should consider ProMerchant. It offers a unique Zero Cost Processing plan for restaurants and retail businesses that allows you to pass processing fees to your card-paying customers. It also offers fraud mitigation plans for high-risk merchants. For established and new Shopify stores alike, PAYARC is a great option. Its membership plans offer low transaction fees that are suitable for high-volume Shopify businesses, while its flat rate plan is ideal if you process less than $7,000/month. PAYARC also accepts 150 currencies and offers quick payout times, which are essential for maintaining cash flow.Here’s a quick breakdown of the best credit card processors for Shopify.
Best Feature | Best For | Monthly fee on cheapest plan | Transaction fees on cheapest plan | ||
Leaders Merchant Services | Industry-low fees and negotiable rates for new and established businesses | Shopify store owners who want to negotiate rates to best suit their budget | $9.00 | ~2.9% + 30¢ | |
ProMerchant | Savings for retail and restaurants with custom zero-cost processing program | Retail businesses and restaurants on Shopify | $7.95 | 3% + 10¢ (credit) | |
Stax | Advanced e-commerce and business tools included in monthly subscription | High volume Shopify stores generating over $8,000 a month | $99.00 | 15¢ + interchange (online) | |
Flagship Merchant Services | Fast onboarding with option for same-day funding | New Shopify businesses that want to start receiving payments as soon as possible and need a steady cash flow | $7.95 | 1.98% + 0.21¢ (online) | |
CreditCardProcessing.com | Access to premium Vindicia subscription management service | Shopify stores looking for robust subscription solutions | $15.00 | 0% + 0.05¢ (High volume) | |
PAYARC | Third-party payment gateway that supports processing in 150 currencies | Shopify stores looking to sell internationally | $69.00 | 0% + 15¢ (in-person & online) |